there seems to be a marked difference in the effectiveness of the 2nd choice front 3 or 5 compared to the first choice front 5. For the 3 or 4th match running we have run into problems when the subs in the front 5 come on. Something that needs to be looked at in time for next season.

Well, at least we scored the try of the tournament.

Also is there a question over our fitness levels? as we don't seem to be able to sustain the game over the full 80 - 90 minutes.

I must admit I was shocked and stunned when I saw the final result, having checked 20 minutes from the end and having seen us 20-17 in the lead. To go from there to a good old-fashioned gubbing in 20 minutes is quite an achievement.

All I can think is there was a decision (an instruction from AR?) to preserve some of our guys for international duty in what was, ultimately, a game of no real importance - hence wholesale changes with 20-odd minutes to go.

Either that, or management really did lose the plot and do the daftest thing ever...?

Someone enlighten me, please...

Unfortunately, with the budget constraints on the Scottish Pro sides, we are never going to be in a position to have top class props sitting on the bench for the last 20 minutes of matches. To be successful in Europe we really need the first choice XV to be able to play for 80 minutes.

Hello, I m french from Toulouse and u are wright regarding your comments about benche quality / Just have a look on toulouse bench last sunday (Sowerby+Kelleher+Servat+Fritz+Medard etc..) All of them are intl and thats make the difference specialy in the last 20 minutes. In another way if u don't have 25 top players in your squad u cant exist in the Top 14.

But to put it in perspective we had 5 forwards on the bench all with at least "A" caps. That suggests there isn't a lot wrong with the quality of replacement but there obviously was with their performance.

I think my perspective is just fine. You are indeed correct that our bench at the weekend was made up of 5 Scotland A caps, a Scottish full cap, a Canadian internationalist and a Scotland 7s cap.
However when you look at the players our friend from Toulouse has mentioned above; Sowerby (South African full cap), Fritz (French full cap), Medard (French full cap), Servat (French full cap) and Kelleher (New Zealand full cap), all are recognised internationalists. There is a MASSIVE gulf in quality of replacement, and we don't have the funds to compete.

So, we're not as strong as arguably the best side in Europe for the last 10 years, agreed. However, we have a squad containing something like 17 full and 10 "A" internationals, I think that would compare with all but the very best sides. The guys who came on were international players who failed to perform. That's not a budget issue.

The reason we are not as strong as the best side in Europe over the last 10 years, is in no small part due to the limited budget that we have.
I am sure if you asked the coaching staff which of the two benches they would have preferred to have at the weekend it would have been the one Biarritz had to offer. Again they have a huge budget by comparison.
There is also a big difference between Scottish and Canadian internationalists and those playing for France, South Africa, New Zealand, etc. Have you not seen the world rankings recently?

Eh well, at the end of the day I guess it meant more to Biarritz than us. Take comfort from the fact that they had totally humped both Glos & Drags by half time, it took them the whole match to do us. The whole town in Biarritz is really looking forward to decamping en masse to San Sebastian for the quarters. I don't think the Os will get out of that one alive.

A big common factor with the Glos game is Richie Gray, we never looked the same once he went off.

Eh well, at the end of the day I guess it meant more to Biarritz than us. Take comfort from the fact that they had totally humped both Glos & Drags by half time, it took them the whole match to do us. The whole town in Biarritz is really looking forward to decamping en masse to San Sebastian for the quarters. I don't think the Os will get out of that one alive.

A big common factor with the Glos game is Richie Gray, we never looked the same once he went off.

In terms of quality I would swap the Biarritz bench for ours everyday of the week. Especially with Eddie just back from injury and T-Bone past his best.

From the Scotsman;
BIARRITZ skipper Jerome Thion has been cited for allegedly punching or striking Glasgow’s Richie Gray in Sunday’s Heineken Cup match.

If it was a deliberate punch;
I'm so ashamed of the recent citing affairs...
That is characteristic, punches because young and better player.

From the Scotsman;
BIARRITZ skipper Jerome Thion has been cited for allegedly punching or striking Glasgow’s Richie Gray in Sunday’s Heineken Cup match.

If it was a deliberate punch;
I'm so ashamed of the recent citing affairs...
That is characteristic, punches because young and better player.